Match-safe.



0.11. ROBERTSON.

MATCH SAFE. APPLICATION FILED MARA, 1908.

Patented Dec. 8?, 1908.

OOD

YH: NuRRls PErERs CoA. wAsHlNcroN. 1:14 c.

CHARLES H. ROBERTSON, OF FREDERICK, MARYLAND.

MATCH-SAFE Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led March 4, 1908.

. Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

Serial No. 419,212.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. ROBERT- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Frederick, in the county of Frederick and State of Maryland, have invented new and useful Improvements in Match-Safes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to match safes and has for its object to provide a match safe in which the matches are contained in a series of compartments each embodying means for advancing the matches successively at a 'given point and means for ejecting the matches therefrom one at a time, the said compartment being in the form of leaves jointed together and adapted to fold independently of each other to facilitate the 'lilling of the match safe as a whole.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will hereinafter be fully described illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings z-Figure 1 is a front elevation of a match safe embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a side or edge elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the match safe. Fig. 4 is also a longitudinal section through the match safe showing the way in which the leaves fold. Fig. 5 is a detail bottom plan view of a fragment of the match safe, showing the hinges which connect the compartments or leaves.

The match safe contemplated in this invention comprises essentially a base or back 1, sides 2 and a plurality of leaves 3 which are connected together at their lower ends by a corresponding number of hinges 4 which enables the leaves to fold relatively to and independently of each other in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4. In addition to the leaves 3, the match safe may be provided with a door or cover 5 which is hinged at one edge to the outermost leaf 3, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the said cover being held in place, parallel to the back or base 1 by means of a latch bar 6 which is pivotally connected at one end as shown at 7 to one of the sides 2 while the opposite end is notched to engage aY f pin or stud 8 on the opposite side ofthe safe,

the said latch bar serving to hold the cover in place as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The base or back 1 is preferably extended as shown at 9 and provided with a hole 10 adapting the same to be hung on a hook, nail or other support. Each of the leaves or sections 3 is provided at its outer free edge with a flange 1 1 provided with a guide opening for the sliding stem 12 of the follower 13 consisting of a bar ada ted to rest on top of the matches carried by the leaf in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3, said follower acting to move the matches downward in order to position the lowermost match in readiness to be acted upon by a match ejecting plunger 14 with which each one of the hinged leaves is provided. The plunger 14 operates through' an o ening in the one edge of the leaf with whic it is associated and isnormally held downward or returned to its projecting position by means of a coil spring 10 which surrounds the stem and bears against the head or button 16 as shown in Fig. 1. The opposite side 2 of the match safe is provided with holes 17 in line with the several plungers 14 through which the matches are ejected by the operation of the plungers, the latter being mounted upon and carried by the opposite side of the match safe and arranged directly in line with the openings 17.

In order to fill the match safe, the leaves thereof are folded downward to a substantially horizontal position and the matches are then placed upon the upper and inner sides of the leaves in single tiers as shown in Fig. 3. As the leaves are filled with .matches they are folded one against the other as illustrated in Fig. 3, and after the match safe has been completely lled, the cover 5 is folded against the outermost leaf by means of the latch bar 6. A match may be obtained by pressing inward any one of the lungers 14. As a match is re-drawn from t e safe, the overlying matches are moved downward by the action of the superimposed follower which acts by gravity. Should the follower fail to move, it may be pressed downward by bearing upon the proper guide stem 12.

I claim h1. A match safe comprising a base, a ver, means for fastening the cover, a pluadvance the matches successively into the path of the ejector. 10 ln testimony whereof I aliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES H. ROBERTSON.

rality of match holding leaves hinged to-l gether in book form between the base and cover, and an independent match ejector for each leaf. Y 5 2. A match safe comprising a plurality of connected match holding leaves hinged to- Witnesses:

ether in book form, a match ejector for each CEAS. H. C. RHODERIOK, caf, and a follower for each leaf operating to JOHN H. STALEY. 

